Image: COURTESY
Five suspects have been held for ten days as investigations are conducted in connection with the theft of Sh94.9 million from Quickmart Supermarket.
Police requested 21 days, but Zainab Abdul, the main magistrate in Milimani, only gave them 10.
She added that because a large amount of money was stolen, the prosecution's request to detain the five was justified.
The accused are being held at the Capitol Hill Police Station under remand.
Inspector Michael Kimilu stated in an affidavit that he is looking into the crime of conspiring to commit a felony in violation of section 393 of the penal code.
Kimilu stated that a report was filed to the vide Akila police station under OB No. 22/06/11/2023 by complainant George Jaramba on behalf of Wells Fargo Limited.
After an investigation, it was determined that Quickmart's Sh94 million in cash was stolen by Wells Fargo personnel who were on their way to a nearby bank.
Kimilu claimed that shortly after the cash-in-transit truck left the Fargo home in South C at roughly 07:14 hours, the suspects collaborated with unknown individuals to perpetrate the crime.
"Upon receipt of the incident report, investigation team proceeded to the crime scene along Southern bypass in South C area where a motor vehicle was found abandoned with its engine running," the court documents read.
The court was also informed that after processing the scene and searching the car, it was discovered that the shipment of cash—which had been hidden in three blue metallic boxes—was missing.
He reported that the driver, Antony Ndiuki, and the commander of the Wells Fargo staff, Daniel Mugetha, had gone missing and had shut off their cell phones.
"Analysis was conducted and a motor vehicle Fielder white in colour was spotted trailing the said Wells Fargo van and later made away with the consignment in 3 blue boxes," he said.
He continued by saying that on November 10, 2023, the investigation team conducted both day and night search operations, which resulted in the arrest of the vehicle's owner.
The aforementioned car was discovered getting modifications in the Njiru Chokaa neighbourhood along Kangundo Road, according to investigations.
After questioning two suspects, the investigation, according to the officer, stepped up its operational leads. On November 11, 2023, another suspect was located and taken into custody.
Sh9,101,300 was found after a check of the man's Kasarani rental property.
On November 12, 2023, a second suspect was apprehended following a separate operation that used the leads provided by Gitonga. It has been determined via the investigation that this suspect works for Wells Fargo Limited.
"The investigation is determined to trace, apprehend and recover the cash of about Sh85 million still at large with the runaway suspects well known to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents," the officer told the court.
He said that the release of the respondents at this point in the investigation will compromise the intended gains because the suspects are linked to other suspects who were also involved in the commission of the crime, are still at large, and have gone into hiding after learning of the respondents' detention.
The suspects constitute a flight risk because they were on the run from November 6 until their individual arrests, the court was also informed.
According to him, the respondents stole a significant amount of money, the majority of which is still in their possession. They could even use this money to flee the nation because investigators have information that suggests they were preparing to do so prior to their detention.
He continued by saying that the suspects faced several challenges in being located and apprehended because they were hiding and aware that the investigative team was looking for them.
According to him, the publication of the respondents at this point could jeopardise the recovery because there is still a significant amount that needs to be collected.
He asked the court to give him an extension of time, stating that the cell phones that were taken from the respondents had not yet been sent to cybercrime for investigation in order to find any further clues in the conspiracy matrix or evidence of the stolen money.
"Owing to the short time that the investigation apprehended the respondents, their known and related residences are yet to be searched for any further recovery of the remaining amount", Kimilu said.
The suspects, however, opposed to the detention saying they are still innocent at this stage. They prayed to be released on bail pending investigations.
